Toddler Dental Care

Now that your smiling sweetie has more teeth, it's time to learn the basics of toddler tooth care. Here's what you need to know about keeping those pearly whites polished.

Cleaning your baby’s teeth wasn’t such a big priority — after all, there weren’t many to worry about. But since the second and third years are busy times in terms of your tot’s tooth development , get ready to step up the toddler dental care. First, give your cutie plenty of good-for-you foods and beverages to keep those tiny teeth healthy and strong. Then get your child into an oral hygiene routine by following these steps:

Toddler Dental Care Basics — Toothbrushing

Brush twice a day. Baby teeth are vulnerable to decay as soon as they break through the gums. The best line of defense? Brushing regularly — and optimally, for two minutes at a time — in the morning after breakfast and in the evening after bedtime snack. Be prepared to be the brusher-in-chief — your toddler won’t have the motor skills to go solo until he’s between five and eight. But capitalize on his growing independent streak by making him your dental deputy. Then teach your toddler to brush, and try toothbrushing games to make cleaning teeth a whole lot more fun.

Get the right brush. What’s best depends on how cooperative your cutie is at brushing time. Is he happy to open wide? Then use a brush with a long handle that lets you maneuver around your eager brusher’s mouth. Got a case of bathroom lockjaw? Try finger brushing. Finger toothbrushes slip onto your index finger and have soft bristles at the tip, which may help get a stubborn toddler used to having his teeth cleaned. Or buy a colorful brush with his favorite character — maybe he can even choose it himself. Does two minutes seem like forever to your wee wiggler? Sing a song, tell a story, or ask a nightly riddle as you brush — anything to distract and make the time pass more quickly. Or buy a toothbrush that lights up, plays music, or makes a noise after the job’s done. Whatever type of toothbrush you use, replace it every three to four months.

Get the right toothpaste and mouthwash. Stick to water only or fluoride-free training toothpaste until your child can be trusted not to swallow it (that’s probably not before he turns two). After that, he can start using a pea-sized amount of fluoridated toothpaste. When he’s around two, you can show him how to rinse post-brushing, and he’ll probably be a fast — and most enthusiastic — student when it comes to spitting. You can also use a fluoride-free mouthwash if the dentist or pediatrician gives you the go-ahead.

Get the right technique. You want to teach good toddler tooth care habits, so give him lots of chances to pick up the best technique. Stand your child on a step stool in front of you. Face a mirror and brush his teeth with your hand over his hand. This way, he can watch you and learn how to brush more easily. Work on one tooth at a time, and use a gentle back-and-forth motion across the chewing and inner surfaces, then switch to a circular motion along the sides, holding the brush at a 45-degree angle. On areas that don’t have teeth yet, lightly brush the gums, and don’t forget the tongue — a popular hangout for bacteria.

Toddler Dental Care Basics — Flossing

As soon as two teeth grow in side by side, you and your tot can go on a plaque hunt with some trusty floss as your weapon — he’ll love pulling it out of the little box and cutting the string, too.

Choose your floss. You can use your regular (or flavored) floss on your toddler’s teeth or try one of those handheld plastic flossers shaped like a dino or other kid-friendly character.

Teach the technique. For early flossing sessions, sit your toddler on your lap, facing you. Floss his teeth as you would your own, using your index fingers and thumbs to guide floss gently in between the teeth. Slide the floss up and down against the tooth surface and (carefully) under the gum line, flossing each tooth with a clean section. You probably won’t be able to get to all those teeth — it’s the rare tot who can last through a flossing session without fidgeting — and that’s just fine. Focus on the molars first (if there are any) and work your way from the back of his mouth to the front. You can even let him have a go at it. Although your toddler may lack the finesse to floss efficiently (which he probably will — it’s hard work for those little fingers), he’ll be getting into the habit, and when it comes to toddler dental care, that’s the most important thing of all.

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